Feeder for blanks or sheets.



L. E. LA BOMBARD.

l FEEDER FOR BLANKS 0R SHEETS. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 3,1916.' 1 p28597 u Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS- SHEET1- L. E. LA BOMBARD'. FEEDER FR BLLANKS 0R SHEETS.

APPLICATION FLL'ED 1AN.3.1916. 1.285.@9?. Patented Nov. 19,1918.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zegna ELEM@ @@mfm? LEON E. LABOMBARD, 0F LAWRENCE. MASSACHUSETTS.

FEEDER FOR BLANKS 0R SHEETS.

pecieation of Letters Patent.

PatentedlNov. 19, 1913.

Application filed January 3, 1916. Serial No. 69,942.

71o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON E. LA BOMBARD, of Lawrence, in the county of'EsseX and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeders for Blanks or Sheets, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to the manufacture of boxes, and particularly to the production of paper boxes which, since they are made of a plurality of members, may be termed compound boxes. i

There are certain kinds of papgr boxes each of which comprises a body v"portion so shaped as to contain articles, such as candy, and a band member or retaining member which surrounds and incloses the portion of the body member which holds the goods, said band member serving to lock the body member inreceptacle condition. Boxes of this type would be very expensive to make,

if each box were formed from a single blank, because there would be a great waste of material in cutting outl the blanks. Hence, it is customary to make such boxes of two blanks or members which are adhesively conneeted Soffar as I am aware, the assembling` of the blanks in pairs, so as to fit them to be afterward set up into receptacle form to hold goods, has onlybeen done by hand. The principal object of this invention is .to provide a feed mechanism for a machine which will accurately, rapidly and economically assemble and unite a plurality of blanks (in the present case,. two), the machine turning out the product in iiat condition, in which collapsed condition the boxesmay be conveniently shipped and stored, and afterward opened out or set up.

Vith the above and other objects in View,

my invention consists in the improvements whichI shall now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 representsjiJ longitudinal sectional view of a portion of a machine having my improved feed mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of the feed controlling mechanisms, said View being on a larger scale than Fig. 1. v

Fig: 3 is an elevation looking from the left of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail View of an upper portion of the blank arresting or stop slide.

Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5 5 of .a and (Z are fed singly and in timed relationship, as hereinafter described. The blanks a pass from hopper 26 between belts pulleys 29, 30, (Fig. 1) and the upper belt being mounted on pulleys 31, 32, Suitably mounted belt-tightening rolls are indicated as 33. Near the pulleys, 29, 31, are rolls 34, the upper onesbeing mounted in spring carriers. These rolls as well as the pulleys 29, 31, act to hold the cooperating stretches of the belts 28,27, in such close` proximity as to insure the blanks being carried along without slipping.' Further along in the machine, the said belts are less close together.

A platform 35 supports theA intermediate portion of belt 27.

Before describingl further action of the machine upon the'body blanks a, I will refer to the blanks'rl which are'longer and narrower than the blanks a. vThe hopper 3G, likev the hopper 26, has means for feed-ing the blanks singly. Said means will' be described in detail hereinafter. Each blank d leaving the hopper 36, passes between two inclined guide plates 37', 38v underneath which is a glue pot 39Vcontaining a rotating glue roll 40. Said glue roll is so mounted that the upper portion of its periphery is sufliciently below the plane of normal movement of the blanks (Z to prevent contact of a passing blank Awith the glue carried by said periphery. Localized contact, vhowever, is effected by two blank-depressing fingers 41, the plates 37, 38 having openings topermit this to be done. The lingers are carried by a continuously rotating shaft 42, the angular tips of said fingers being so spaced apart that they act, respectively,

27, 28 the lower one being mounted 'on i 53, 54. When the rear edge 45, 46 said cham passing under a sprocket 47 to cause the chain to travel horizontally for a portion of its movement. To cause each blank issuing from hopper 36 to be positively advanced between the plates 37, 38 far enough to enable its rear end to be engaged by a lug of the chain, the shaft hasa feed disk 48 formed or provided with a friction periphery. This disk and a cooperating` supporting roll 49 act through suitable openings in the plates 37, 38 to grasp Fa blank d and advance it as described.

, Returning now to; the-blank a, it is to be understood that it approaches the-point ofv convergence with a blank d, slightly ahead of said blank d. Thisis because` a li portion thereof is to be turned up and bac {ward as presently described. The blank a is carried along far enough to reach thejzone ofv action of two chains 51 side by side and having properly spaced lugs 52, one of said chains being shown in `Fig. 1. Said chains are mounted on sprockets carried by shafts of the blank a is engaged by the chain lugs, it is thereafter pushed along by said lugs. When the front end of the blank reaches the hook folder 56 which is pivotally mounted at 57 and normally held against a stop 58 by a spring 59,

ysaid hook first yields and then pulls the front end up and over backwardly. Of course the blank is moving along during this time.A The band blank d is also moving toward the .junction point and when the front end of blank a leaves the tip of the hook folder, said end snaps up against the under side of the front end portion of blank d having the glue. The front portions of the two blanks, thus assembled, pass between upper and lower compression belts 60, 61. I

The upper belt is mounted on pulleys one of which is carried by shaft 62, and the lower belt is mounted on pulleys one of which is carried by shaft 64. v

Just after the assembled front portions of the two blanks are taken by the compression belts, their rear portions reach positions for the portion of blank d (which is still extending considerably to the rear of blank a) to be folded. The device which does this folding consists of an angular arm 71 secured to a rock shaft 72 having suitable means for actuatarm swings and bends the rear portion of blank cl down and then up under the rear portion of blank a. It then quickly swings 'back to normal position. T0 render it cer-v tain that when arm 71 swings down itV will bend or fold down only a definite rear part 75 of blank a3, on a creased line, a fiat finger 87 is secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 88 mounted in a bracket 89. The lower end of shaft 88 has an arm 90 which is actuated by suitable mechanism to effect the swinging of the finger 87.

I will now describe the improved feed mechanisms to insure delivery of the blanks from the tivo hoppers not only properly timed relatively to each other, but also rela- 35 tively to the lugs of the feed chains already described,`so that the two blanks of each pair will be carried along and acted upon and combined accurately. .In mo'st respects,

I will rst 90 the two feed devices are alike. refer to the feed mechanism for the body blanks a. `Secured to a tie rod 103 are two rearwardly-extending bars 104 which snpport the side members or walls 26 of the Fig. 1, being sectional, shows but hopper. one of said bars. On the bars 104 are adjustably mounted a pair of brackets 105 .which support a cross bar 106, the latter supporting an inclined narrow plate 107 against which the rear edges of the pile or stock of 110.0

blanks a bear. To suit sizes, shapes, and qualities -of blanks, the brackets may be set forward or back on the bars 104, as by set screws 108, and the plate 107 may be secured in any desiredposition along the cross bar 105 106 or at any preferred angle of inclination, as by a set screw 109. The blanks are un supported intermediate their front and rear edges, and therefore the inclination of the plate 107, when properly adjusted to hold 110 the blanks inclined upwardly toward the rear, causes the blanks to havea constant tendency to move forwardly to the front fixed b ut vertically adjustable inclined gage 110 having a beveled lower end (Fig. 2).

Secured upon rod 103, as by a set screw 111, is awsleeve 112 having an inclined bar bracket 113 to the rear face of which the bar A110 vis secured by screws 114 passing through slots 115 in 'the bracket.- An ad- 120 justing screw 116 passes through an ear at the top of the bracket 113 into the upper end `of the bar 110 so that, when binding screws 114 are loosened, the gage bar 110 may be accurately adjusted to let the 125 bottom-most blank a pass between its lower end and the feed wheel 128 presently described.

The gage bar 110 is recessed or cut awayl (Figs. 5 and 6`) to provide a space for the 130 slide 117 having a lateral ear 118 (Figs. 2

and 4) to which a spring 119 is connected so that the lower end of said slide will normallyproject below the gage bar 110 to serve as a stop to prevent the bottom-most blank from passing. To lift this stop slide periodically, to permit a blank to pass, I provide an arm 120 projecting under theear 118 from a rock shaft 121 mounted in the sleeve 112 and in a collar 122l also secured on rod 103, said rock shaft having a long arm 123 (Figs. 2 and 3) having a roll 124 ,that is kept in peripheral contact with a cam 125 on shaft 126, by a spring 127: -'The'feed wheel 128 is also carried by the shaft 126. Preferably, although not necessarily, the feed wheel is provided with one or more friction plugs 129.

The lower portion of the bracket 113l has a vertical front face to which is fitted a small sliding bracket 130 having a vertical slot 131 through which a screw 132 passes into said bracket 113. Said bracket 130 carries a short shaft 133 on which are mounted two rolls 134vwhich are kept in rolling contact with the feed wheel 128 by a spring 135 bearing on the top of the bracket 130.

The structure and timing ofy operation are such that the lower-most blank a, resting on the feed wheel 128 and the inclined plate 107 and consequently being constantly urged forward, can not pass so long as the stop 117 remains down as shown in Fig. 2. The moment that cam 125 actuates arm 123 however,

the arm 120 lifts vthe slide stop and the said blank a is instantly started forward and keeps moving and is delivered. to the belts 27 28. Preferably the cam 125 is so shaped as to permit the slide stop to Abe acted upon by the spring 119 before the moving blank has entirely passed, so that said stop will bear yieldin ly on the rear-most part of that blank (the ore-most part havin by then, reached the nip of belts 27, 28), t e stop de-v scending in time to prevent another blank from being fed until the stop is again lifted by the cam. Y

The feed vheel for the upper blanks d is indicated at 128a in Fig. 1. For the most part, the mechanism of the upper feed is a duplicate of that just described for the lower feed, and hence, in Fig. 1, I employ the same reference characters with the addition of the exponent a. There is one material difference, however, viz: for the upper long narrow blanks d I prefer to supply a more sensitive kind of forward impeller forthe blanks. Instead of the inclined plate 107 forming the rearof'the lower hopper, in the upper hopper I employ a wheel 136l loosely mounted on the rod or bar 1062i, this wheel being so supportedv that it may be adjusted to cause several of the lower blanks d to rest with their rear edges against the periphery of the wheel in front of its highest portion, thus causing the tendency of the Wheel to be cov rotated by the weight and friction -of the.YY i

. Owing to the fact that each feed mechanism has a movable stop which absolutely prevents the passage of a blank until the stop is shifted to open a passageway for such blank, and as the -shiftingof the stop can only occur at timed intervals, the blanks necessarily issue from each hopper accurately spaced. The j timing ofthe delivery of the blanks is so reliable that I may dispense with the belts 27, ,28, and arrange the hopper and the lugcarrying chains in such proximity that the blanks will be delivered directly from the hopper to the chains and edge guides.

Owing to the fact that the blanksare supported only at the front and rear, asby the wheel 128 and the plate 107 or the small wheel 136, there being no table or intermediate support for the pile, `frictional resistance to the feed of each blank is reduced to the minimum. This is because, the moment the bottom blank is started forward, its rear drops a little, or is at least free from the weight of the 'other blanks abo/ve it, and therefore there is nothing tending to hold itr back or retard its outward passage. `If a blank a or l from either hopper should hesitateor be partly retarded, it might not reach position to be taken and pushed by a chain lug in time to be properly assembled with and united to its companion blank a or d.

Any suitable means are provided for preventing contact of any portion of a blank CZ with the glue wheel 40, except when olepressed by a finger 41. In Fig. 1 I illustrate a light spring 162 rising from the top of the glue pot 40 to a height which is somewhat exaggerated in said figure for the sake of clearness. In operation, this spring yields sufficiently to permit the selected portion of a blank to be depressed by a finger 41 into contact with the roll 40.

I do not claim herein mechanism for connecting the blanks e and cyl together, as the same forms the subject matter of my .application iled Feb. 24, 1917, Serial No. 150679. Said mechanism is described briefly herein ico'v to explain the reasons for accurately timing Y moved, and means for moving bothbarriers to a limited degree at pre-determined times y rotatable friction feeding wheel, a stop movto permit two single blanks to be advanced one from each of the two containers, in timed relationship.

2. A box-making machine having a. pair of hoppers for blanks, each hopper having means for feeding out the lower blank of a pile therein, a movablej` stop for preventing the escape of such blank, and means for periodically shifting said stop to permit the passage of the blanks one at a time and accurately spaced.

3. A blank feeding Amechanism having front and rear supports for a pile 0f blanks, the 'rear support being in position to contact with the rear edges of the blanks and urge them forward,A the intermediate poi-- tions being unsupported, the front support being movable to feed the lower blank of the pile, a stop movable to and from position to arrest the bottom blank of the pile, and means for periodically shifting said stop 'to permit the passage of the blanks one at a time and accurately spaced.

4. A blank feeding mechanism having lfront and rear supports for a pile of blanks, the intermediate portions being unsupported, the front support being movable to feed the lower blank of the pile, the rear support being mounted to maintain the blanks in forwardly inclined position and contacting with their rear edges to urge them forward, a. stop movable to and from position to' arrest -the bottom blankof the pile,: and means for periodically shifting said stop to permit the passage of the blanks one at a time and accurately spaced.

V5.'A blank' feeding mechanism compris# ing a constantly rotatable feeding wheelin position to support the front of the blanks, a support for the rear edges of the blanks said support presenting an inclined surface for the said rear edges, a stop movable to and from position to arrest the bottom blank of the pile, and means for periodically shifting said stop to permit the passage-of the blanks one at a time and accurately spaced.

6. A feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising means for supporting a pile of blanks, said means includinga constantly able toward and from said wheel to-close or open a passageway for a blank, and means for periodically shifting said stop to alternately permit and positively arrest the passage of blanks.

7. A feeding mechanismfor blanks comlprising upper and lower wheels for the passage of blanks between them, the lower wheel being, constantly rotatable, amovable stop for preventing any blank from reaching the nip of said rolls eXcept when the stop is shifted from arrestingposition, and means for supportingl a pile of blanks with the lowermost one having its forward portion resting on the said lowerv wheel.

8. A feeding mechanism for blanks comprising upper and lower wheels for the pas-` sage of blanks between them', the lower wheel being constantly rotatable, an inclined member having its lower end in proximity to but spaced from said lower wheel, a slide having its lower end normally crossing the space between said inclined member and lower wheel, meansfoi periodically raising said slide, and means for supporting a pile of blanks with their front edges against the lower end of the slide and the lower portion of said inclined member.

9. A feed mechanism of the character described coniprising a Ahopper for a pile of blanks, a rotary friction feeder, a stop movable toward and fioni the feeder, and means for moving said stop at predetermined intervals to provide an alternately open and ing the stop in a direction to close the outlet,

means for feeding a blank through said outlet when open, and means for actuating the stop to open the outlet to permit a blank to start through and to release the stop to permit it to bear on the surface of the outgoing blank before it has entirely passed. i

In testimony whereof l have atlixed my signature.

L'riouI iiiLA BoMBARD. 

